NHL Rumors: Hottest Trade Talk Regarding Patrick Marleau, Cam Ward and More

Although there is no shortage of time remaining in the 2015-16 NHL regular season, teams are already starting to figure out whether they are capable of contending or if they would be better off selling some of their assets.

While preliminary trade talks may not lead to anything until the deadline, if at all, the names that are part of the rumor mill promise to be the subject of intense speculation until their teams decide to make some type of move.

As teams across the league continue to shop around in hopes of either adding or subtracting big-name players, here is a look at some of the top assets who are rumored to be available on the trade market.

Patrick Marleau

Veteran forward Patrick Marleau has been a cornerstone player for the San Jose Sharks since the 1997-98 season, but he has also been a scapegoat for the team's lack of playoff success.

The 36-year-old left winger is in the midst of a solid season with nine points through 14 games. However, his name continues to be the subject of trade rumors, which has been the case for the past several years.

According to Curtis Pashelka of the San Jose Mercury News, Elliotte Friedman revealed on Hockey Night in Canada that Marleau's name has come up in trade discussions:

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It's difficult to pin down because none of the particulars are talking. The trade market is tight right now, but one of the names we're hearing out there is Patrick Marleau. He's got a no move clause and there's zero evidence the Sharks have asked him to waive it, so I can't say who is pushing for it, but his name is definitely out there.

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Marleau is no stranger to apparently being on the block, and he already knows how he plans to handle the rumors that will undoubtedly continue to surround him moving forward, per Kevin Kurz of CSNBayArea.com.

"I just go out and play. I can't control what people are saying, or anything like that," Marleau said. "Just focus on what I can control."

Despite the fact that his name is out there as a possible trade candidate, Marleau told Kurz that he hasn't yet been asked to waive his no-trade clause.

San Jose is currently a middling team at 7-7, but trading Marleau likely wouldn't do much to help the cause immediately. What it would do, however, is offer some salary-cap relief, as Marleau carries a cap hit of $6.67 million per season through the 2016-17 campaign, according to NHLNumbers.com.

Last season was Marleau's worst statistically in terms of full campaigns since 2007-08, as he registered just 19 goals and 57 points while stumbling to a minus-17 rating.

He has certainly been better in the early portion of 2015-16, but the Sharks still have the makings of a team that can't quite get over the hump.

Marleau has likely needed a change of scenery for years, and even though the Sharks probably wouldn't get equal value in terms of current value for Marleau, dealing him is something that could galvanize the team since it would be among the biggest shakeups in franchise history.

Cam Ward

Ellen Ozier/Associated Press

The Carolina Hurricanes have enjoyed some great moments with goalie Cam Ward between the pipes, but with his contract set to expire at the conclusion of the season, there is plenty of incentive to find a potential trade partner.

The 31-year-old netminder was once among the top players in the league at his position, as he led the Canes to a Stanley Cup title in 2005-06 and won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP. He has been on a fairly steady decline ever since then, though, and the past few years in particular have been a struggle.

Ward's 2013-14 season was a low point, as he posted a career-worst 3.06 goals-against average and a poor .898 save percentage to boot. He bounced back to some degree last season with a 2.40 goals-against average, but his .910 save percentage was average at best, which isn't good enough for a goalie who is compensated like an elite player.

The former first-round pick is currently 5-5 with a 2.40 goals-against average and .907 save percentage. The Hurricanes acquired Eddie Lack from the Vancouver Canucks during the offseason and signed him to an extension, so every indication is that Lack will be their guy moving forward. 

Recent rumblings seem to back that up, as Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun reported that the Hurricanes are in talks with a couple of teams with regard to Ward.

Ward carries a big cap hit at $6.3 million, per NHLNumbers.com, but that shouldn't be a significant factor due to the fact that he's on an expiring contract.

While Ward is a solid depth guy who brings Cup-winning experience to the table, he hasn't proven deserving of being an NHL starter in quite some time, and the Canes aren't likely to get much more than a late-round pick in return if they do find a suitor.

Blackhawks Defenseman

Joe Raymond/Associated Press

The Chicago Blackhawks have been among the best defensive teams in hockey over the past several seasons, but due to injuries and departures on the blue line, their reputation has waned to some degree in 2015-16.

Johnny Oduya signed with the Dallas Stars during the offseason, and Duncan Keith has been on the shelf, although he is due to return in the near future, according to Chris Hine of the Chicago Tribune, which will provide a major boost.

Even when Keith comes back, though, the Blackhawks have some deficiencies on the back end. Because of that, they are very much in the market for another defenseman, per Hine and Chris Kuc of the Chicago Tribune.

This is despite the fact that head coach Joel Quenneville insisted he was comfortable with the Blackhawks' options defensively, according to Hine and Kuc:

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I don't mind our back end. We've got some young guys coming along here. I think they're going to be all right. Erik Gustafsson coming in—something we probably didn't envision at the start. But he's played some games here where all of a sudden it looks like he could be OK. And you look at (Trevor van Riemsdyk) and the big guy (Viktor Svedberg), and there's progress there and those guys can get better as the season gets along.

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While the likes of Keith, Brent Seabrook and Niklas Hjalmarsson are reliable when they're all in the lineup, the Blackhawks are missing the type of veteran presence that Oduya brought to the table as a second- or third-pairing defenseman.

The Blackhawks would prefer not to take on a big contract with a long term attached to it since they constantly have to dance around the salary cap due to their top-heavy roster. However, if they can find a rearguard whom they don't have to commit much to financially, it wouldn't be at all surprising to see them pull the trigger on a deal.

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